Hinged box construction



April 14, 1964 J, o. BURM'AN, JR 3,128,898

HINGED BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed July 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 64 a. r is. a w J g mmw a 1 t M l. n n e a A r M 1 a M 7 W a r Joseph M J. O. BURMAN, JR

HINGED BOX CONSTRUCTION April 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3, 1961 Inventor; Josqph 0. fiarman fir, 5 MW J/dfi 146a,:

United States Patent 3,128,898 HINGED BOX CONSTRUCTION Joseph 0. Burman, Jr., Attleboro, Mass, assignor to Progressive Machinery Corp., Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 3, 1961, Ser. No. 121,761 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-35) The present invention relates generally to a novel and improved box construction, and is more particularly concerned with boxes of the type normally used for the packaging, shipment and display of jewelry and the like.

More specifically, boxes of this general type have traditionally comprised base and cover sections hinged to each other at their rear walls and provided with spring means for resiliently maintaining the box either in a fully closed or a fully opened position. In order to hinge the base section to the cover section in such a box, it has been customary to provide a pair of hinge plates, pivotally associated to each other, which plates are then secured to the rear walls of the box, one of the plates being secured to the cover section and the other plate being secured to the base section. In effecting such a securement, assuming the box is of metallic construction as is frequently the case, it has heretofore been necessary to provide prongs on either the hinge plates or the box which cooperate with specially aligned openings. In other words, if the prongs extend from the hinge plate, then the rear walls of the box are provided with openings through which the prongs extend, the prongs then being clenched over the outer surface of the box rear walls to maintain the hinge plates in secured relation. Alternatively, the prongs may extend from the rear walls of the box through specially provided openings in the hinge plate and then clenched thereover. In either case, an undesirable and unsightly arrangement results. First of all, the clenched prongs are readily visible, thereby detracting from the ornamental appearance of the box, a factor which is of considerable importance in boxes of this type wherein ornamental articles are frequently being displayed. Secondly, this arrangement creates a manufacturing problem since the prongs and openings must align properly and yet must be of sufficiently close tolerance so that the hinge plates cannot move relative to the box after being clenched in position.

Where the box is constructed of cardboard, it is not usually necessary to provide openings for receiving the prongs, but rather the prongs may be forced through the cardboard. Here again, however, the prongs are clenched against the outer surface of the box and hence are readily visible.

Another disadvantage which exists in prior art boxes of this general type is the fact that repeated snap-closing of the cover due to the spring-loaded hinge weakens the box by causing the sections to distort, buckle, and generally become misaligned when the box is in closed position. It has therefore been necessary to use a relatively heavy gauge metal when making the box of a metallic construction, and when the box is made of cardboard it has frequently been found necessary to reinforce the box with a relatively heavy gauge metal.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a box of the character above described wherein the 3,128,898 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 hinge means is operatively secured to the box without any penetration of the box or hinge means.

A further object is the provision of a spring-loaded hinged box which may be constructed of relatively lightgauge metal but which will nevertheless not distort or become misaligned even after continued usage.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel hinge construction, particularly adapted for use in connection with my novel and improved box assembly.

Still another object is the provision of a box of the character described which is economically feasible to manufacture, rugged and durable in use, and highly attractive in appearance.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by me for carrying out my invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of my novel and improved box construction with parts broken away for purposes of illustration and wit-h a portion shown in a section taken on line 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hinge means per se which form a part of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown generally at 10 a box comprising base and cover sections 12 and 14, respectively. Base section 12 consists of bottom Wall 16, side walls 18, front wall 20 and rear wall 22. Cover section 14 is similarly constructed and comprises top wall 24, side walls 26, front Wall 28 and rear wall 30. Base and cover sections 12 and 14 are each preferably formed of relatively light-gauge metallic construction. In addition, said sections are preferably, although not necessarily, identical in size and configuration where upon they may be used interchangeably.

Positioned snugly within each of the sections 12 and 14 is an inner shell or liner, the base section shell being shown generally at 32 and the cover section shell being shown generally at 34. The base shell 32 is provided with a bottom wall 36 having a marginal bevel as at 38, front and rear walls 40 and 42, respectively, and side walls 44. As will be seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front and side walls of bottom shell 32 extend upwardly beyond the front and side walls of the lower section to provide a peripheral lip 46. The cover shell or liner 34 is similarly constructed and comprises a top wall 48 having a marginal bevel 50 and further having front and rear walls 52, 54, respectively, and side walls 56. As will be noted, in the cover liner the front and side walls are slightly foreshortened with respect to the adjacent walls of the cover section thereby providing an internal peripheral shoulder for receiving the lip 46. Thus, when the box is in closed position, there is an oflset intere-ngagement between the cover and base sections and their respective inner shells, thereby providing a better closing action for the box and at the same time maintaining proper alignment between the cover and base sections when they are in their closed position.

A hinge element, shown generally at 58 in FIG. 4, comprises a pair of plates 60 and 62 having integral staggered hinge rolls 64 through which a hinge pin 66 extends to pivotally interconnect said plates. Each of said plates has extending laterally therefrom, in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the hinge, an elongated finger 68, the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent. In addition, each plate is provided with a centrally positioned integrally struck lip 76, said lips being oppositely disposed with respect to each other in order to receive an arcuate leaf spring 72, in a manner well known in the art. Plates 60 and 62 are additionally provided with a pair of inwardly extending tabs 74.

In assembling the sections 12 and 14, their liners 32 and 34, and hinge 53, the following procedure is employed. First of all, the hinge is positioned so that one of its plates is in abutting relation with the rear wall of one of the sections, it being understood that the fingers 68 are bent at the proper position so as to extend around the rear corners of the box and along the inner surface of the side walls thereof. The inner shell or liner is then slid into position within the box section, it being apparent that the tabs 74 of hinge element 58 will be in engagement with the marginal bevel of the liner whereupon the hinge element is secured against upward or downward movement. The fingers 68, meanwhile, are snugly positioned between the side walls of the outer section and the side walls of the inner shell whereupon the hinge element is secured against lateral shifting. This same operation is repeated for the opposite section of the box, whereupon the outer sections, the inner liners and the hinge element form one assembled unit. The inner shells are preferably secured to the outer sections by any suitable means, such as an adhesive 75, whereupon the shells cannot be forceably withdrawn from their respective sections. Once the shells are secured to their respective sections in the manner afore indicated, it follows that the hinge element is secured against removal by means of the tabs 74 which extend above and below the opposed shells, as seen most clearly in FIG. 3, and at the same time the hinge element is prevented from shifting laterally by means of the fingers 68 which extend between the rear walls of the outer sections and their respective liners and around the rear corners of the box to a point terminating between the side walls of the outer sections and their respective liners. In order to provide suitable clearance for the hinge element 58 when it is assembled in box It), the rear walls 22 and 30 of sections 12 and 14, respectively, are notched as at 76 (FIG. 3) whereby clearance for the hinge roll 64 is provided. In addition, the rear walls of the inner shells are provided with inward depressions 78 which provide clearance for the hinge plates 62 and 60 and a central depression 80 which provides clearance for lips 70 and spring 72. It will be understood that spring 72 is provided with inturned ends 82 which interengage with lips 70 in a well-known manner. Thus, when assembled, the only part of the hinge that is visible, even when the box is completely open, are the hinge rolls 64, both from inside and outside of the box. Since there is no penetration whatsoever of either the outer sections, the inner shells, or the hinge plates, there are no unsightly exposed prongs. In spite of the fact that the hinge element is maintained and secured in position simply by being positioned between each section and its respective inner shell, the mounting is a rigid and secure one, and no undesirable play exists between the hinge element and the box per so. It will be understood that hinge element 58 is easily adaptable to boxes of diflerent sizes simply by bending the fingers 68 at the proper location.

If desired, and as is customary in the art, the sections 12 and 14 may be covered with any suitable paper or leatherette covering as is shown at 84. At the same time, the inner shells 32 and 34 may be covered with any suitable ornamental fabric, such as silk or the like, as shown at 86. The articles to be mounted in the box 16 may be supported by any suitable and desirable means, although I prefer to strike lugs (not shown) from the bottom shell 32, which lugs extend upwardly through the covering 86 for resiliently gripping the articles to be mounted in a manner generally similar to my invention as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 296,679, filed July 22, 1963. By using an arrangement such as this, I am able to do away with the conventional mounting pad that is usually employed in jewelry boxes of this general character, as well as the neck portion which was usually associated with such a pad in order to cover the hinge means. This is a decided advantage. since the use of such pads and their associated neck portions has added materially to the cost of boxes of this general type and has proven disadvantageous for other reasons as well. Since the inner shells or liners are covered with their ornamental fabric before being assembled in the outer sections, they are easy to handle and can readily be printed with any desirable indicia or the like prior to their assembly within the outer sections. Also, it is now possible to keep on hand an inventory of inner shells with different ornamental coverings, which can then be assembled in the outer scctions as desired.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the outer sections are preferably drawn from relatively light-gauge metallic stock and the inner shells are preferably likewise constructed. Although metallic stock of this gauge would not be sutficiently rugged to support a spring-loaded box of this type if the box were unlined, the combination of the outer sec tions and the inner liners provides a rugged and durable box. Also, whereas lightweight metal stock would not normally be strong enough to mount a hinge element wherein the stock is pierced by prongs extending from the hinge, my present construction overcomes this problem since no penetration of the box sections or shells is required in order to securely mount a hinge. Thus, I have provided a spring-loaded hinged box which is not only durable and rugged in operation, but which is also economically feasible to manufacture and highly attractive in appearance, and furthermore, a box which can be eliectively made from relatively light-gauge metallic stock.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A box comprising a base section having a bottom wall and upstanding front, rear and side walls, a cover section having a top wall and downwardly depending front, rear and side walls, an inner shell snugly positioned within each of said sections, each of said shells being of generally the same configuration as its section and forming a complete inner liner therefor, means for securing said shells within their respective sections, hinge means for pivotally connecting said base and cover sections, said hinge means comprising a pair of hinged plates, each of which is mounted between one of the section rear walls and the adjacent liner rear wall, and means for securing said hinge plates in their aforedescribed position without any penetration of said sections, shells or plates, said securing means comprising integral fingers extending laterally from said plates around the rear corners of the box and terminating between the side walls of each section and the adjacent shell side walls, and tabs extending from the upper and lower edges of said hinge plates to a point beneath the adjacent shell, whereby said hinge plates are maintained in assembled position solely by being clamped between said sections and shells.

2. The box of claim 1 further characterized in that one of said shells extends slightly beyond the edges of its section to provide a peripheral lip, and the other of said shells is slightly foreshortened with respect to the edges of its section to provide an internal peripheral shoulder for receiving said lip when the box is in its closed posi tion.

3. A hinge element comprising a pair of plates hingedly connected to each other, an elongated finger extending from opposite ends of each plate in a direction substantially parallel to the hinge axis and having a bent portion at its extremity extending substantially perpendicular to said axis, and a plurality of tabs extending from the outer longitudinal edges of said plates in a direction substantially perpendicular to said hinge axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Thomas Jan. 4, Metcalf Mar. 31, Hauck Aug. 4, Rhodes Sept. 13, Carpenter Dec. 6, Whitelaw Jan. 8, Morin Aug. 5, 

1. A BOX COMPRISING A BASE SECTION HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND UPSTANDING FRONT, REAR AND SIDE WALLS, A COVER SECTION HAVING A TOP WALL AND DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING FRONT, REAR AND SIDE WALLS, AN INNER SHELL SNUGLY POSITIONED WITHIN EACH OF SAID SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SHELLS BEING OF GENERALLY THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS ITS SECTION AND FORMING A COMPLETE INNER LINER THEREFOR, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SHELLS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE SECTIONS, HINGE MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID BASE AND COVER SECTIONS, SAID HINGE MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF HINGED PLATES, EACH OF WHICH IS MOUNTED BETWEEN ONE OF THE SECTION REAR WALLS AND THE ADJACENT LINEAR REAR WALL, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID HINGE PLATES IN THEIR AFOREDESCRIBED POSITION WITHOUT ANY PENETRATION OF SAID SECTIONS, SHELLS OR PLATES, SAID SECURING MEANS COMPRISING INTEGRAL FINGERS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID PLATES AROUND THE REAR CORNERS OF THE BOX AND TERMINATING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS OF EACH SECTION AND THE ADJACENT SHELL SIDE WALLS, AND TABS EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF SAID HINGE PLATES TO A POINT BENEATH THE ADJACENT SHELL, WHEREBY SAID HINGE PLATES ARE MAINTAINED IN ASSEMBLED POSITION SOLELY BY BEING CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS AND SHELLS. 